Author: DW

Pope Francis is responding well to treatment at a Rome hospital for pneumonia, the Vatican said Saturday, adding that the 88-year-old’s condition had seen “a gradual, slight improvement.” “The Holy Father’s clinical condition in recent days has remained stable and, consequently, testifies to a good response to treatment. There is therefore a gradual, slight improvement,” the Holy See said in an update. But as a precaution, his doctors have decided to keep his prognosis as guarded, it added, meaning the head of the Catholic Church isn’t out of danger. The Vatican also said Francis had worked and rested during the day Saturday. The 88-year-old…

A warning by Donald Trump to Vladimir Putin to stop “pounding” Ukraine or else, appears to have fallen on deaf ears after another night of devastating Russian strikes.The persistent pummelling of Ukrainian towns and cities also follows a decision by the US president to stop sharing American intelligence and weapons with Kyiv – a move that is directly hampering the Ukrainian military’s ability to defend their skies from the Russian onslaught. In the deadliest attack overnight, at least 11 people were killed and 30 wounded, including five children, in the town of Dobropillia, about 15 miles from the frontline in…

At the beginning of March, Petra Scharner-Wolff took over as CEO of Otto Group, a German conglomerate. In Germany, Otto is an iconic company best known for its huge catalogs, a copy of which sat in many homes across the country for decades. In its heyday, the Otto catalog came out twice a year, had over 1,000 pages and included everything from clothing and toys to entire bedroom sets. Today, Otto no longer prints its catalog but has transformed into one of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms. Last year, the privately owned company had around 38,500 employees and brought in…

Hollywood actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a week after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from a rare infection, authorities announced on Friday. The couple were found dead in their Santa Fe home on February 26, but the cause of death had not been clear at the time. Hackman was 95 at the time of his death while Arakawa was 65. The Santa Fe sheriff’s office had already said that the actor likely died on February 17 as that was the last signal from his pacemaker was registered. What did the authorities say about Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths? “Mr. Hackman showed…

In May 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 global health emergency over.  Yet millions of people still experience fatigue, breathlessness and pain, years after having a COVID-19 infection. By some estimates, 400 million people had or still have post-COVID-19 syndrome, a condition better known as ‘long COVID’. Scientists have struggled to find the causes of long COVID since the first cases of chronic symptoms emerged in late 2020. Clinicians still lack the tools to treat the disease. Now, a new study published in the journal Science has discovered lung inflammation is a major cause. Data in mice and…

It is a milestone, but it also has a bit of an aftertaste – due to Saudi Arabia’s involvement. Professional women’s tennis players are now eligible for paid maternity leave for up to 12 months. Those who have a child through surrogacy, adoption or the pregnancy of a partner is entitled to two months’ maternity leave. In addition, allowances for fertility treatment are possible. The program announced by the World Tennis Association (WTA) applies retroactively from January 1 to more than 320 female players. It is “the first time in women’s sports history that comprehensive maternity benefits are available to independent, self-employed…

The Ukrainian position in Kursk has deteriorated sharply in recent days, according to open-source mapsImage: Evgeny Biyatov/IMAGOThe suspension of US intelligence sharing with Kyiv has left Ukrainian troops in Russia’s Kursk region nearly surrounded as Russian forces advance, essentially cutting them off from supply lines Ukraine had launched a shock incursion into Kursk last summer, however, the Ukrainian position in Kursk has deteriorated sharply in recent days, according to open-source maps. Russian troops have regained control of key areas, closing in on Ukrainian forces and threatening to encircle them completely. Open-source mapping from Deep State, a Ukrainian military blog, revealed…

Germany’s Foreign Ministry on Friday called on all sides of the ongoing battle in Syria to avoid a “spiral of violence” after more than 200 people died in two days of fighting between government forces and gunmen loyal to ousted leader Bashar al-Assad. Fighters backing Syria’s new authorities attacked villages along the coastal region, a longtime bastion of support for Assad, killing men in retaliation for attacks on government security forces by Assad loyalists, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). “We are shocked by the numerous victims in the western regions of Syria. We call on all sides to seek for peaceful…

A former Olympic snowboarder accused of running an international drug smuggling network behind four murders has been added to the FBI’s list of 10 most wanted fugitives.A $10m (£7.7m) reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of Ryan Wedding, 43, who competed for Canada in the giant slalom at the 2002 winter games. Wedding – whose aliases include “El Jefe,” “Giant” and “Public Enemy”- is accused of running a network that routinely shipped hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and Southern California, to Canada and other US locations.He is also suspected of orchestrating four…

An explosion at an auto parts factory on Thursday in the Japanese city of Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, has killed one person and left two injured. The plant produces auto parts and supplies for Toyota Motor Corporation. What do we know about the blast? A fire department official said the blast stemmed from a dust collector inside the Fujioka plant. Japan’s Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting and Nagoya Broadcasting Network reported that the local fire department received an emergency call stating that “a dust collector exploded” and that the “rooftop came off.” The management of Toyota Motor and Chuo Spring acknowledged the explosion but…